Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings
The early components of the pupillary light reflex (PLR) are governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. The use of cheap, portable pupillometry devices may allow for the testing of parasympathetic-system health in field settings. We examined the reliability of two portable instruments for measu...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| author | Nicola S. Gray Menna Price Jennifer Pink Chris O’Connor Ana Antunes Robert J. Snowden |
| author_facet | Nicola S. Gray Menna Price Jennifer Pink Chris O’Connor Ana Antunes Robert J. Snowden |
| author_sort | Nicola S. Gray |
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| description | The early components of the pupillary light reflex (PLR) are governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. The use of cheap, portable pupillometry devices may allow for the testing of parasympathetic-system health in field settings. We examined the reliability of two portable instruments for measuring the PLR and their sensitivity to individual differences known to modulate the PLR. Parameters of the PLR were measured in a community sample (<i>N</i> = 108) in a variety of field settings. Measurements were taken using a commercial pupillometer (NeuroLight, IDMED) and an iPhone using the Reflex Pro PLR analyser (Brightlamp). The parameters of baseline pupil diameter, constriction latency, amplitude and relative amplitude of constriction, and constriction velocity were measured. Individual differences related to age, levels of anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology were assessed. Some measures could not be attained using the iPhone under these field conditions. The reliability of the measures was high, save for the measurement of contraction latency which was particularly unreliable for the iPhone system. The parameters of the PLR showed the same internal relationships as those established in laboratory-based measurements. Age was negatively correlated with all the reliable PLR parameters for both systems. Effects of anxiety and PTSD symptomology were also apparent. The study demonstrated that a hand-held portable infrared pupillometer can be used successfully to measure the PLR parameters under field settings and can be used to examine individual differences. This may allow these devices to be used in workplaces, sports fields, roadsides, etc., to examine parasympathetic activity where needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34e88f4555d7480dbbaa81580e7c2ff3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2411-5150 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-34e88f4555d7480dbbaa81580e7c2ff32024-12-27T14:59:25ZengMDPI AGVision2411-51502024-10-01846010.3390/vision8040060Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied SettingsNicola S. Gray0Menna Price1Jennifer Pink2Chris O’Connor3Ana Antunes4Robert J. Snowden5Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UKDepartment of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UKDepartment of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UKAneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport NP18 3XQ, UKSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UKSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UKThe early components of the pupillary light reflex (PLR) are governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. The use of cheap, portable pupillometry devices may allow for the testing of parasympathetic-system health in field settings. We examined the reliability of two portable instruments for measuring the PLR and their sensitivity to individual differences known to modulate the PLR. Parameters of the PLR were measured in a community sample (<i>N</i> = 108) in a variety of field settings. Measurements were taken using a commercial pupillometer (NeuroLight, IDMED) and an iPhone using the Reflex Pro PLR analyser (Brightlamp). The parameters of baseline pupil diameter, constriction latency, amplitude and relative amplitude of constriction, and constriction velocity were measured. Individual differences related to age, levels of anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology were assessed. Some measures could not be attained using the iPhone under these field conditions. The reliability of the measures was high, save for the measurement of contraction latency which was particularly unreliable for the iPhone system. The parameters of the PLR showed the same internal relationships as those established in laboratory-based measurements. Age was negatively correlated with all the reliable PLR parameters for both systems. Effects of anxiety and PTSD symptomology were also apparent. The study demonstrated that a hand-held portable infrared pupillometer can be used successfully to measure the PLR parameters under field settings and can be used to examine individual differences. This may allow these devices to be used in workplaces, sports fields, roadsides, etc., to examine parasympathetic activity where needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5150/8/4/60ageanxietyparasympathetic nervous systempupillometrytrauma |
| spellingShingle | Nicola S. Gray Menna Price Jennifer Pink Chris O’Connor Ana Antunes Robert J. Snowden Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings Vision age anxiety parasympathetic nervous system pupillometry trauma |
| title | Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings |
| title_full | Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings |
| title_fullStr | Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings |
| title_short | Measuring the Pupillary Light Reflex Using Portable Instruments in Applied Settings |
| title_sort | measuring the pupillary light reflex using portable instruments in applied settings |
| topic | age anxiety parasympathetic nervous system pupillometry trauma |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5150/8/4/60 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicolasgray measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings AT mennaprice measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings AT jenniferpink measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings AT chrisoconnor measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings AT anaantunes measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings AT robertjsnowden measuringthepupillarylightreflexusingportableinstrumentsinappliedsettings |